Wick-raiser



NITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

HENRY E. SHAFFER, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

WlCK-RAISER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 506,408, dated October10, 1893.

Application filed October 28 1892. Serial No. 450,2. (No model.)

same, reference being had to the drawings ac-' companying thisapplication.

My improvement relates to raisers for circular wicks. It also relates tothat class in which hinged spring jaws are used for clamping the wick.Furthermore it relates to that class in which the jaws are automaticallyopened at the limit of their movement by means of a wedge.

The invention consists in the construction hereinafter described andspecifically claimed.

In my invention the opening device is attached to and rides with thejaws and are never detached therefrom in use.

The invention consists in the combination of parts hereinafter describedand claimed.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a central, vertical section of acenter-draft lamp with my improved wick-raiser attached. Fig. 2 is anenlarged cross section in line a: 00 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlargedvertical, cross section through the shanks of the jaws, in line y y ofFig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but

showing a modification in the form of the de-- vice for opening thejaws. Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the jaws inthe open position,and a orosssectionof the wedge part of the opening device. Fig. 6 is a"sectional view of the opening device and arms of the jaws, showing amodification in'the means of attachment. 7

A indicates the lamp-body, B the wick, tube, and C, the wick, all ofordinary form.

D D are the two wick-raising jaws, and E the handle for raising thesame. The jaws are hinged to the lower end of the handle so as to openand close, and are heldnormally closed around the wick by means of aspring a, of any suitable form. The jaws preferably have small teeth orspurs b b for holding to the wick.

My improvement is as follows -At a point intermediate between the jawsand the handle the arms of the jaws are provided with oifsets c c whichform an inclosed socket; and in this socket rests a device G, whichforms the opening device. This device forms an attachment to thejaws andis carried up and down with them. It consists of a shank f, of uniformdiameter, which is such that the jaws can close to embrace the wick, anda wedge g at one or both ends, also a shoulder or stoph' at each endwhichprevents the device'from being forced out from between the arms ofthe jaws.

Fig. 3 shows the wedgesg and Fig. 4 shows a wedge only at the upper end,the lower end'being straight.

Z The device G is operated. by striking the top or bottom of the lamp asthe jaws are raised or lowered.

In the closed position of the jaws the shank f of the opening devicelies between the arms of the jaws, and in that condition thewick israised till the upper end of the device strikes the top of the lamp,when the upper wedge g is driven between the arms and opens thejaws,.freeing the wick. In the down movement the lower end of theopening device strikes the bottom of the lamp, forcing the narrowshankf, between the arms again and allowing the jaws to close. By this meansan old wick can be raised and removed, a new one applied, and the jawsengaged therewith by the simple vertical movements of the handle. Thisresult can be produced by either of the forms of the opening deviceshown in Figs. 3 aud t. In-the use of the double-wedge form shown inFig. 3, the jaws close on the wick before the jaws arrive at theirlowest position. A still further movement drives the lower wedge betweenthe arms and opens g at both ends,

the jaws when the lowest position is attained. I

The object of this is to enable the jaws to be This invention differsfrom those having the wedge fixed to the lamp, in as much-as, when thejaws have opened by striking at the top, they remain open till the jawsare forced to the bottom again. Therefore a wick can be inserted overthe wick tube and forced to the bottom by hand before the jaws areengaged therewithgwhereas, in ordinary lamps I of the kind the wick canbe entered but a little way, as the jaws close at the top as soon asreleased from the wedge.

In addition to the wedge form of the ends of the opening device in atransverse direction, as above described, each of these endsg g is ofwedge-shape in horizontal section and in a longitudinal direction, thewidest side standing next to the jaws, as shown in Fig. 5. Furthermore,this wedge form gradually increases from bottom to top, the object ofwhich is to cause the wedge to fillthe socket in which it rests underdifferent inclines at which the jaws stand in opening more or less. Bythis means the wedge always rests against a shoulder, and there is nodanger of accidentally displacing the device when it strikes the top orbottom of the lamp. Other means might be used for holding the openingdevice against displacement, for instance that shown in Fig. 6, in whichthe opening device is slotted and the arms of the jaws provided withpins which pass through the slot.

I do not wish to confine myself strictly to the construction abovedescribed, as I am aware that opening devices of different form fromthat described may be combined with the jaws so as to be carried by themand open and close them bystriking the top or bottom of the lamp.

Having described my invention, I do not claim simply and broadly anopening device attached to the jaws and operating to open the jaws atthe limit of vertical movement.

WVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a lamp, the combination, with the spring aws and means for raisingand lowering them, of a device connected with the jaws adapted to openthem by striking a stationary part of the lamp at the limit of verticalmovement in one direction, and to release them by striking a stationarypart at the limit of vertical movement in the opposite direction, asspecified.

2. The combination, with the spring jaws and. means for raising andlowering them, of a device consisting of a straight shank and awedge-shaped end resting between the arms of the jaws, and adapted toopen them by striking a stationary part at the limit of verticalmovement of the jaws, as specified.

3. The combination, with the spring jaws and means for raising andlowering them, of a device consisting of a straight shank'and twowedge-shaped ends resting between the arms of the jaws, and adapted toopen them by striking stationary parts at the limit of vertical movementof the jaws in opposite di-' rections, as specified.

4E. The combination, with the springjaws provided with a socket betweentheir arms, and with means for raising and lowering them, of a deviceconsisting of a straight shank, and an extremity of wedge form bothtrans versely and longitudinally, resting in said socket and adapted toopen the jaws by striking a stationary part atthe limitof verticalmovement, as specified.

In witness whereof I- have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo' subscribing witnesses.

HENRY E. SIIAFFER: Witnesses:

CHAS. A. WIDENER, R. F. OSGOOD;

